KEY POINTS:
New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters is optimistic the combined influence of Pacific Island countries can see a return to democracy in Fiji.
Mr Peters was speaking to reporters at Port Vila in Vanuatau before a meeting of foreign ministers of 16 Pacific Forum countries.
They have
gathered to discuss a report released today into Fiji's political situation since the unlawful overthrow of the democratically elected Government there last December.
The report by the forum's Eminent Persons Group (EPG) has called for Commodore Frank Bainimarama to vacate the position of interim prime minister and allow a civilian to fill the post.
Mr Peters welcomed the report and said the forum members could together exert a positive influence on the situation in Fiji to see a way through to a democratic outcome.
He was confident there could be a united resolution today and a common voice at the end of the meeting - estimated to be about 6pm NZ time today.
Mr Peters said his officials had been working for a long time on a unified resolution and he felt cause for optimism.
His Australian counterpart Alexander Downer said he wanted to see a road map back to democracy in Fiji as quickly as possible and to see a commitment from Fiji's illegal administration.
But he conceded that if there was a strategy from Fiji to delay progress "there is not so much we can do".
He said all the Pacific governments with the exception of Fiji itself were comfortable with the report's recommendations, though he was not so sure on the position of the Solomon Islands. "We will have just have to wait and see," he said.
Mr Downer said the EPG had done a good job and had recommended a return to democracy between 18 months and 2 years from now.
However, feedback from Fijians is that it could take three years because it might take that time to have census and new electoral rolls and boundaries drawn up.
Mr Downer said the best way to deal with the Fiji situation was through the Pacific as a whole rather than trying to do things bilaterally.
Sato Kilman, EPG chair and Vanuatu's deputy prime minister, told reporters that the essence of the report was to achieve a return to democracy, including respecting the rule of law and observation of human rights.
He was hopeful Pacific Forum countries would take a unified stand and was confident a pacific solution could be found.
The report also calls for:
* A return to barracks of soldiers
* Lifting of the state of emergency
* Reinstatement of the chief justice
* For the country's 1997 constitution to be respected
The report also said the Pacific Forum would be available to assist in financial and technical assistance for a new election and help form an anti-corruption commission.
